Bijapur: After incurring heavy losses owing to untimely rainfall in the district last year, the jowar growers are expecting bumper crop in the current year. If the Government purchases jowar by paying fair support price farmers may be able to clear debts.

Though the Government announced that it would purchase jowar by paying a support price of Rs. 1,500 per quintal, the final order is yet to be issued in this regard. Since the cutting season is over, the small and medium farmers who do not have storing capacity are rushing to markets to sell the grains and clear the debts. Businessmen who have well-equipped godowns to store these grains are exploiting farmers by paying Rs. 750 to Rs. 900 per quintal depending on the variety.

Sources in the Agriculture Produce Marketing Centre (APMC) said that on a given day the centre receives 360 metric tonnes of jowar and the same quantity of jowar is being sold. There is a considerable increase in purchase of jowar since last week of February.

“Both the farmers and consumers will face problems if the Government fails to declare support price and opens up centres for purchase of jowar in all taluks of the district”, sources added.

Jowar is the staple crop of the district and is grown in all taluks. Most farmers grow jowar as it yields good grain and palatable fodder for cattle. The crop is most suited to the black and medium soils of the district and can be grown conveniently with the less amount of rainfall received in both the Kharif and Rabi seasons.

Sources in the Agriculture Department told The Hindu that this year the farmers have grown jowar on 2,39,926 hectares of land and expect to harvest 1,50,750 metric tonnes of jowar as compared to 1,35,718 metric tonnes last year.